Car loading retaining strip and lock therefor



June 16, 1959 (5,11 MURPHY v'2,890,747

Y CAR LOADING YRETAINING STRIP AND Locx THEREFOR Filed June 21, 1954 l I Y 4 sheets-sheet 1 Ind . l In? W JV A @LAMA 2,890,747 CAR LOADING RETAINING STRIP AND LOCK THEREF'OR Filed'June -21, 1954' v i June 16, 1959 G. T. MURPHY 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 JZ E 'eorfef June 16, 195.9 G, T MURPHY 2,890,747

CAR LOADING RETAINING STRIP AND LOCK THEREF'OR June 16, 1959 G. T. MURPHY CAR LOADING RETAINING STRIP AND LOCK THEREFOR Filed June 21, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 nited States atet it CAR' LOADING uE'rArNrNG LocK THEREFOR George' T. Murphy, Melrose Park, Ill., assigner to A. d. Gerrard & Company,'Melrose Park, Ill., a corporation of Illinois pplication .Iune21, 19.5.4', Serial No. 458,026 7claims. (C1. 16e- 368) This invention relates generally to closure vstructures for railway cars and the like, and more particularly to a novel carloading retaining strip and lock therefor.

The present invention' is directed to a closure construction for use on car doors and the like wherein the closure structure comprises suitable sheets ofhi-gh strength, sheet-like material which are extended across the respective doorways at' opposite sides of a railway car for usev in the shipment of packages, and are pri'- marily for the prevention of damage to the lading or package commodities from4 sliding" in transit against the car doors because of lateral movement of packages in shipment if they should' become displaced throughV the car movement.

The presentinvention has among its objects the production" of a carloadin'g' retaining` strip for use in cooperirig a freight car which' may 'be completely placed across one of the doors, and aseparable retaining strip which is used for the doorway of the car by which the car is loaded and unloaded.

Another object of the invention is to provide a retaining strip structure for partially closing' oppositel-y disposed doorways of a freight car, one of which extends completely across a respective doorway while the other is separable intermediate' the car door structure.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a retaining strip structure formed from7 relatively flexible laminated sheet rnaterial,l comprisingav pair' of outer plies and an inner ply of interwoven strands ofglass fiber and adapted to be secured contiguous its side edges to theV doorwayof a freight car or' other vehicle used in the transfer of packaged commodities; y

Still another object of the invention is` to provide a pair of relatively rigid strips for each end of said r'etaining strips ab'ott which the rcspeetiye side edge por'- tion's of the retaining' snip structure are wrapped together wit-li inean's for securing each of said sheets to theirv respective side strips.

Another object of the invention is to provide a retaining strip structure to perfr'iitl the rolling thereof upon a rigid strip for the end of said structure to reduce or increase the Ieffective width of the retaining strip structure to permit the rigid strips to be operatively secured `to doorways of lesser or greater width.

Still another object of the invention is' to provide irnproved lforms of securing means operatively aihiied to contiguous edges of separable retaining strips for detachably securing' thelv separable retaining strips together.

Another object of the invention is to provide animproved forn Vof sheet-like material for fabricating flexi- 'ble closure striitur'es for railway car door openings or other bulk loading openings.

still fu lier object is to provide an improved retaining strip for packaged carloadshipr'n'ents which will give protection so that there may be had 'solid doorway loading of packaged products, such as cartons, bags, Iboxes and other forms of packaged products without damage to the car door or packaged products.

Patented June 16, 1959 ice Still another object ofy theV inventionuis toY providev retaining' strips: for doorway loading withoutI requiring the use of linersacross doorways, and also` to reducezdun= nage since itfis: not necessary-to rely on heavy doorway barricades and the like. v

A still further objectv isV to provide a retaining strip which permits the railway car door tobev readily opened and, after the door is opened; to provide quick unloading since the retaining strips may be readily separated or unlatched manually; Y

Stilll another object of the invention. is to provide a retaining strip which may be readily'ttedito any standard railway car' door, and which is simple to.' apply with ordinary hammer and nails.

A further object of the invention is to provide. a closure structure which is disposable' and is substantially injury proof to personnel handling and erection of the closure structure;

A parti-cular feature of the invention is to provide a retaining' strip or flexible closure structure for railway car doors andi the like fabricated from one or more sheets of either laminated sheet material with. an intermediate Fiberglas scrim; or from` sheets felted from a paper slurry simultaneously' onopposite side of a Fiberglas scrim'f.

Another feature of the invention is to-provide' al retaining strip for a railway car door formedv from separable portions secured together with an improved form of latch'ing means tol permit the detachment of the retaining strip for unloading of the railway car, and in which the retaining strips are preferably mounted' horizontally and may be abutted, overlapped or spread apart, depending on the weight and characteristics of the load.

Another feature' of the invention is to provide various forms of detachable secu-ring. means for detachably aiiixing contiguous edge portions of separable retaining strips.

Still another feature of the invention is to provide a detachable latch which permits contiguous edges of a retaining strip to be secured together ibut spaced a slight distance apart, and which will not become opened by the movement of the car door and yet may be readily unlatched at lthe destination at which unloading takes place.

Still another feature of the invention is to provide an improved carloadin'g retaining strip, which may be formed from one or more strips of reinforced paper or the like material, depending upon the load of the packaged or bulk commodity retained by the carloading' retaining strip.

In accomplishing the various objects and features of my invention, it is preferred to use a material for the carloading retaining strip of the type such as that disclosed and claimed iu the co-pending application of John M. Gerrard et al., Serial No. 350,544, tiled April 23, 1953, for Grain Door for Railway Car, now Patent 2,803,299, issued August 20, 1957, and also an improved form of material which is felted from a suitable high strength paper slurry directly to lboth sides of a scrim of glass fibers having longitudinally and transversely extending strands of glass fibers. Either of these high strength papers is cut to the preferred size for carloading retaining strips or grain door or other bulk car door structures, and have the opposite ends wrapped about a suitable reinforcing member, one end of which may 'be aixed to the car door, and if the material is used for carloading retaining strips, the contiguous edges are affixed together with a suitable latching means extending through the reinforced edges of the strip as formed by wrapping an edge about a suitable vertical member of plywood or other material. Thel'atchin'g means may take one or more of the forms as will be described later, but preferably in they form `of alatoh fabricated from high carbon 'wire and heat treated, and of suicient resiliency that it may be readily latched and unlatched by hand. If it is desired to have a carloading retaining strip for packaged commodities or for bulk commodities, such as grain and chemical material which requires greater retaining strength than that provided by one strip of the-fabricated sheet-like material, it is within the scope of the invention to use one, two, three or more strips, depending upon the load to be retained across an open car door area. It is also within the scope of the invention to provide not only the separable carloading retaining strips for bulk commodities but also a separable form of retaining strip for bulk commodities, such as grain products and malt, chemicals and minerals, which is overlapped at the joint to provide a suitable seal for this type of material, and which has an intermediate center supporting member at the overlapped joint, and in which the supporting structures are restrained in their outward movement by the pressure of the bulk material by cross ties connecting the opposite supporting door Astructures placed in the car door openings.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given.

To this endY my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of carloading retaining strips applied to opposite railway car door openings;

Fig. 2 is a vertical elevational view from within the railway car and partly in section, illustrating a retaining strip as applied to one door of the railway car of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 illustrates retaining strips abutted together and applied as in Figs. 1 and 2 but viewed from outside the railway car;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view, partly in section, illustrating the latching means for the retaining strip portions in the unlatched and latched positions thereof;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the latching means or lock for carloading retaining strips;

Fig. 6 is a portion of a carloading retaining strip, illustrating the reinforcing Fiberglas scrim laminated between opposite sheets to for-m the reinforced retaining strip;

Fig. 7 is an improved form of retaining strip material in which the paper slurry forming the sheet-like material is felted to opposite sides of a reinforcing Fiberglas scrim sheet;

Fig. 8 is an embodiment of a carloading retaining strip in which the joint between the separable portions is formed -by overlapping to provide a sealed joint;

Fig. 9 is a plan view, partly in section, of another modiiication of an overlapped joint to provide a seal `between the separable portions of a carloading retaining strip;

Fig. l0 is a view in vertical elevation, looking from the outside of a railway car, of a grain door and the like for bulk loading of railway cars in which the door structure is formed from separable retaining strips overlapped and sealed, and provided with latching means to detach the separable portions;

Fig. 11 is a plan view illustrating the vertical supportlng structure for the overlapped joint of the separable strips forming the grain door structure;

Fig. 12 is a vertical view, partly in section, illustrating the harness structure and in which the vertical support is formed by a prefabricated member;

Fig. 13 is a vertical view partly in section, illustrating a modified form of the harness structure in which the vertical support is formed from a single member;

Fig. 14 is an exploded view, partly in section, illustratmg in perspective the opening in the grain door and the closure therefor;

Fig. 15 is an enlarged plan view of a slightly modified grain door structure from that of Figs. 10 and 12, taken at the joint therebetween; i i

Fig. 16 is a vertical view of another form of securing means for the connection between contiguous portions of a carloading retaining strip;

Fig. 17 is another form of securing means at the juncture of contiguous portions of a retaining strip;

Fig. 18 is still another form of securing means for the juncture between contiguous portions of a modified form of retaining strip;

Fig. 19 is still another embodiment of securing means in the form of a chain connection for securing together contiguous portions of a retaining strip; and

Fig. 20 is another embodiment of securing means for aiixing together overlapped portions of a retaining strip at the juncture thereof to provide a sealed joint therebetween.

Referring to Figs. 1 through 5, a preferred form of carloading retaining strip and latching means or lock therefor for aiiixing together the contiguous portions will be described. A conventional railway car construction 10 having opposite doorways 11 and 12 adapted to be closed by doors 13 and 14, and which for the purpose of the disclosure of this invention the opening 12 shall be considered as being closed by the door 13, and either the i loading or unloading of the car shall take place through the opening 11, after which the sliding car door 13 therefor will be closed upon completion of the loading. In applying the carloading retaining strips for packaged commodities, it is preferred to first apply a retaining strip or laminated construction 15 which extends across the opening 12 formed by the vertical pants or jambs 16 and 17. Although the carloading strip of this invention may be formed from a single fabricated member 18 of sheetlike material, the retaining strip may also be formed from multiple layers of two or more strips 18 and 19 as illustrated in Fig. 1. Itis also within the scope of the invention that the number of plies used depends upon the lateral force of the packaged commodities set up in transit or lateral force of bulk commodities to be restrained at the doorway of a railway car. As the width of railway car doors vary from six to eight feet, it is preferred to fabricate the length of the sheet 18 such that one size will do for the various widths of car door openings. However, if necessary the length of the sheets may be adjusted to take a certain range of door sizes, and another size retaining strip may be utilized for the balance of the range of car door widths. In order to wrap the retaining strip 18 or strips 18 and 19 at the ends for securing the ends of the retaining strip or strips to the jambs of the doorway, a Ma" x 18" plywood nailing strip 20, 4" wide is utilized, about which the ends of the strip are wrapped as illustrated in Fig. 1. It is preferred to have at least a minimum of three plies of the sheet or sheets wrapped, as shown in the left-hand side of Fig. l, and these may be atiixed in place by staples 21. The opposite edge of the strip 18 or strips 18 and 19, depending upon the number of plies being used, is also similarly wrapped about another plywood nailing strip 20. The number of plies wrapped about the strip 20 is preferably three, as illustrated on the left-hand side, but may be a larger number, depending upon whether the length of the retaining strip is made for a particular door width or to t one or more door widths. The retaining strip, as it is wrapped at the edges, is then erected to the door jambs by random nailing with suitable nails 22 or other form of securing means, such as staples applied with a stapling machine and the like. If the retaining strip is made for multiple widths of car doorways, the other end of the strip is then unwrapped to the point at which the proper width of the doorway is had, and the strip is then nailed in position. If, however, the retaining strip is made to the proper width of door to which it is applied, both ends of the retaining strip are wrapped as described with the left hand side of Fig. 1 and stapled with staples 21.

After the .erection of the retaining strip of one or more plies for the doorway opposite the door through which the commodities are loaded, the retaining strip structure 23A includingthe latching means 24' therefor is then applied after 'the' packaged commodities are nearly loaded, or itrnay :be applied prior tothe completion of the loading with the'sepa'r'able portions 25 and 264 unlatched and later latched' upon completion of the loading. Usually it isY preferred to' assemble the retaining strip in position prior toloa'din'g since the strips arev only 18" high and can be easily stepped over, and if it is desired to' build additional doorway protection, depending upon the height ofthe packagejdcommodities, this may be done as the loadingV proceeds. However, it is usually preferred t erect thej retaining strips needed for the doorway, which is not unopened at thebeginning of the coopering. The retainingstructure 23 is illustrated as being formed of a single ply of sheet-like material, though it is within the scope of the' invention that one or more plies may be used for each portion ofthe completed retaining strip structure, as` described above with respect to thepunopenedY doorway. Since the free ends of the portions 25 and 26 which are affixed to the door jambs 16 and 1'7 are, the same as described with reference to the retaining strip for the unopened doorway, like reference characters are used to identify the same or similar parts. Since it is desired to provide a retaining strip which may be formed of separable portions 2S and 26 and may be readily separated by detaching the latching means 24 from the exterior of the car after the car door v13 has been opened, it is necessary to provide suiciently rigid edges for the contiguous ends of the respective portions 25 and 26. This isy accomplished by wrapping each edge of the portions 2 5' and 26 about a 1/s x 18 plywood strip 2'7, as' illustrated in- Fig. l. The 'wrapped pliesy of the retaining strip portions are affixed to the plywood strip by staples Z1, in asimilar manner as are the strips for the' outer ends of the retaining strip portions;

Reflerrngto Fig., 3, there are illustrated retaining strips erected' in abutting relationship. As the strips are constructed as described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, further description is unnecessary as the lower strip is rst erected,- after which` the upper strip is erected. It is also Within the scope of the invention as is well understood' in the art that the retaining strips may be overlapped or spaced apart, depending upon the weight and characteristics of the packaged carload shipment.

In detaching the strips', whether the doorway has the stripsA applied in abutting, overlapping, or spaced relations'hip, the latch members 24 for each of the strips are unlatched by raising the handle portion 30 upwardly to clear the vertically extending latch 31 to the point that it vclears and is then free to swing outwardly from `the dotted position 30 of Fig. 4 to the opened position 30". The latches may then be removed by rst manipulating the reinforced portion of the strip 25 so that the handle portion 30 may be pulled through its respective hole 32. After the handle has cleared the hole 32 by manipulation of the latch, the deformed portion 33 may be pulled through a corresponding hole 32 of the retaining strip portion 26 and further manipulation will permit the upstanding vertical end 31 to be pulled through the opening after the handle is pulled downwardly substantially flush alongside the face of the retaining strip portion. In this manner, the latches 24 may be reclaimed for further use. With the latches removed, the retaining strips may be folded or rolled upon themselves to the edge of the car door opening to permit unloading of the railway car. Afterwards, the retaining strips may be detached byrernoving the nails 22 and, if care is used in salvaging, even the retaining strip portions may be reclaimed and reused if they have not been pierced in any manner during the shipment. Although it is preferred to use single-headed nails 22 as illustrated, if the type of shipment permits the use of double-headed nails, it is within the scope of the invention that double-headed nailsl may be used but there is the tendency with doubleheaded nails to cause damage to the cartons of the packaged shipments. n

Referring to Figs. l, 4 and 5, when the retaining strips are fabricated to be used at the place of loading the shipment", itl is' preferred that the portions A25 and 26 of a completed retaining strip 23 shall be assembled complete withV the latches 24 in place, and so rolled that a neat andv compact bundle is had together with the opposite retaining strip 15 which' is for the opposite doorway at which the loading and unloading takes place. It is also within the scope of the invention that if the shipper requires separable retaining strips *for each `doorway, these may be furnished. Usually, however, it is designated which door of the car is to be used for loadir: and unloading.

When the retaining strips' are used in' this manner, the latches 24/ are assembledv in place as shown in Figs. l and 4. T o assemble these latches in position, the latch end 3l is first inserted through its respective hole 32 and in this position the V-shaped portion 34 is substantially hush against the back` face 35 with the curved portion 3o of the latch abutting, the edge 37 of the strip and; with thisportionV of the latch above the hole, and the handle portion 30 extends across the front face 38 of the reinforcedl edge of the retaining strip portion, and the handle extends downwardly. Upon raising the handle portion upwardly, the portion 33 extends through the hole, and upon movement of the handle in aclockwise direction in a plane, at` right angles to the plane of the retaining strip, the U-shaped portion 39 extends within the hole. The opposite reinforced edge of the retaining strip 35 is then manipulated so that the end of the handle 3Q extends through itsrespective hole 32 and the handley is pulled through until the U-shaped portion 36 engages the hole 32. The latch may then be locked by manipulating the handle over the top of the latch 3l and pulled downwardly into position to be latched in place behind the upstanding latch member 3l'. It is preferred to fab;- ricate these latch members out of the suitable wire, such as lO-.garge wire, having a preferred carbon content within a range of 1065-1075, so that they may be heat treated t0 provide a resilient latch which will be kept in its latched position at all times. When both latches :for each retaining strip are in place, as shown in Figs. l, 2 and 4, with the retaining strips erected in place across a car doorway, the reinforced contiguous edges of the retaining strip portions 25 and 26 are canted at an angle as shown. This is caused by the position of the V-shaped portion 34 of the latch as it engages the edges 37 of each reinforced edge, and by the location of the holes andl the engagement of the U-shaped portions 36 and 39 with the holes. This inclination of the reinforced portions tends to give greater rigidity to the joint and also` if the retaining strips are erected in position and latched afterwards, there is a tendency to place tension upon vthe strip portions as the latch is locked in position. It is preferred, however, as described above, to erect the latches Z4 in position, after which they are bundled for shipment or, if desired, the retaining strip portions may be shipped separately and the latches therefor shipped separately, after which they can be assembled as described on the job, and then the assembled strip 23 with the latches in position erected across the car doorway as described above.

Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, there is illustrated two ernbodiments of the reinforced paper from which it is preferred to fabricate the retaining strips. It is preferred to provide this improved form of retaining strip `from a glass strand reinforced paper. in the embodiment of 6, it is preferred to use a kraft sheet of substantiallyl pounds per ream weight when based on 500 sheets-of paper 24); 36".v The thickness ofthe paper is preferably 0.023 or 23 pointpaper. Although it is preferred to use a kraft type paper, the sheet 40 may also be fabricated from other forms of suitable material such as paper, cellophane or plastic sheets, though it is preferred to use the 23 point plies or sheets 41 and 42 with the intermediate ply 43 constructed in the form of two series of interwoven strands having a series of horizontal strands 44 and a series of vertical strands 45. The strands 44 and 45 may be of any suitable material having the desired characteristics of flexibility, tensile strength, etc. to achieve the desired results. ln the construction illustrated the sheets 41 and 42 are secured together by suitable adhesive material 46, as for example, a combination of asphalt and latex, suitable plastics and the like. It has been found that very satisfactory results may be obtained by constructing the strands 44 and 45 of glass fibers. The fabric formed by such interwoven or crossed strands is commonly known as scrim and is commercially procurable. This particular form of sheet material is disclosed and claimed in the co-pending application of John M. Gerrard et al., Serial No. 350,544, tiled April 23, 1953, for Grain Door for Railway Car, now Patent 2,803,299, issued August 20, 1957.

An improved embodiment of this form of material is illustrated in Fig. 7, and is made by felting a suitable kraft pulp simultaneously to both sides of a Fiberglas scrim sheet 43 having the horizontal Fiberglas strands 44 and the vertical Fiberglas strands 45. This sheet is simultaneously felted on the scrim sheet 43 on a suitable Fourdrinier or Oliver felting machine which has been modied so that the felting operation takes place simultaneously on both sides of the glass scrim sheet 43. The width of the felted sheet before trimming is 102". This completed sheet material is an improvement over the glass strand reinforced paper fabricated in accordance with the disclosure and claims of Crandall #2,653,090, dated September 22, 1952. The scrim sheet 43 may be treated in the same manner as the individual strands of liber as disclosed in the aforementioned patent to Crandall. It has been found that a iglass scrim identied as 150-1/ 3-2/ 2 when woven with a ber spacing of 1/2 for the horizontal and vertical strands makes a preferred form of reinforced paper. The 170 pounds basis for 3000 square feet of paper fabricated in this manner has a scrim weight of substantially 38 pounds with a pulp weight of substantially 132 pounds. It has been found that a scrim with the preferred spacing permits the paper bers to pass through the screen-like scrim to properly imbed and inter-entwine the horizontal and vertical strands of the scrim. It is also to be understood that any arrangement of ber ends to produce a .glass strand of a different number of fibers may be used as is well understood in the art. For example, 150 ends may be made into strands having multiples thereof, such as 300, 450, 600, etc., and in turn the spacing may be at any preferred conventional spacing when the strands are woven into the scrim sheets. However, it is preferred to use a spacing of substantially 1/2. It is also within the scope of the invention that horizontal strands 44 may be of greater strength than the vertical strands 43. The sheets from the felting machines after they have been felted and calendered may be cut to the required width, for example, 18" for the retaining strips and length. depending lupon the car door Width to which they are to be applied. If the completed sheets are to be used for a grain door construction as illustrated in Figs. 10 and 12, the sheets are then fabricated into the sizes required, depending upon whether the sheets are to be fabricated to extend completely across a doorway or of a predetermined size or of a size to fit a series of doorway openings. Likewise, it is to be understood if separable sheets are to be used, the narrower widths, as will be described with reference to Fig. 10, will be used.

Sheet-like material formed in accordance with the disclosure fo the embodiments of Figs. 6 and 7 is substantially four or ve times stronger than standard kraft paper. Usually, a single sheet of etiher the embodiment of Fig. 6 or 7 is suitable for fabricating a retaining strip or for a grain car door sheet. However, as the widths of the door opening increase or the load to be retained exerts a greater lateral pressure, it is within the scope of the invention to use multiples of the sheet for the retaining strips or for the grain car door construction. For the most part a maximum of three sheets may be required, assembled into a retaining strip or portions thereof as illustrated in Fig. 1 for an 8 wide door, and the same is also preferably required for grain car doors or the like which have loadings of over 80,000 pounds per car with an 8 wide doorway, and with the grain car door, likewise substantially 8' high. For example, cars loaded with malt sometimes weigh 124,000 pounds when loaded to visible capacity of 13" for clearance.

Referring to Figs. 8 and 9, there are illustrated two embodiments of a carloading retaining strip in which the contiguous reinforced edges are overlapped to provideV a reinforced joint and a sealed joint, and yet which may be readily latched for attaching and detaching the contiguous reinforced edge portion. As the carloading retaining strips are fabricated substantially as those described with reference to Figs. l, 2, 3 and 4, like reference characters will indicate the same or similar structures. However, in the embodiment of Fig. 8, a completed retaining strip assembly 50 has the reinforcing strips 27 and the wrapped ends thereof arranged as illustrated. A modified latch member 51 is similar to the latch member 24 but instead of the V-shaped portion 34 has a attened portion 34. Otherwise the structure is substantially identical. The flattened portion 34' is to permit the reinforcing strips 27 and the wrapped edges thereof to be held in substantial alignment as illustrated, so that at all times there is a seal formed by the overlapping portion 52 of each of the retaining strip portions 25 and 26. The erection and fabrication of the completed retaining strip is essentially the same as that described with reference to the fabrication and erection of the structure illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 4.

In the embodiment of Fig. 9, another form of overlapped and sealed joint between contiguous retaining strip portions 25 and 26 is illustrated. The wrapped retaining strips 27 of each portion are arranged as illustrated with the contiguous inner faces of the strips in abutting relationship rather than the edges as illustrated in Fig. 8. Two drilled holes for the legs S3 and 54 of the latch 24" are formed in the retaining strips to receive them in the same manner as described with reference to the latch construction of Figs. l and 8 with the exception that in the previous constructions, each leg went through the contiguous retaining strip, whereas in this embodiment both legs of the latch member go through each retaining strip. The method of assembling this construction is essentially the same as described in the previous latch constructions with the difference, however, that the legs are longer and formed as illustrated in Fig. 9.

Referring to Figs. l0 through 15, there is illustrated an improved form of grain door construction over that of the co-pending application of John M. Gerrard et al., Serial No. 350,544, filed April 23, 1953, for Grain Door for a Railway Car, now Patent 2,803,299, issued August 20, 1957, and the application to lohn M. Gerrard, Serial No. 397,400, led December l0, 1953, for Grain Door, now Patent 2,830,659, issued April 15, 1958. This improved construction has incorporated certain of the features of a carload retaining strip as described with reference to Figs. l through 9, and also certain of the harness structure as described with reference to that of the previous co-pending applications. In the preferred embodiment, sheet material as described with reference to that illustrated in Fig. 7 is preferred, although it is also within the scope of the invention that sheet material of the type as disclosed with reference to Fig. 6 may be used as well as other forms, as ydisclosed Yand claimed with reference to the disclosure of the co-pending application, Serial No. 350,544, may also be used.v Y l A grain car door 55 as illustratedin Fig. l0 preferably comprises separable sections 56 and57 vwhich have the edges thereof fabricated as described with respect to the co-pending application, Serial No. 350,544, and which is similarjto thewrapped edges as illustrated as described with reference to the carloading rgetai-ningstrips of Figs. 1 and 2, the dilference being 'that instead of being eighteen inches high, the grain door height begins substantially at six feet and may extend as high as eight feet, dependingupon the size of the car door and the amount of bulk material, whether grain or other types 'of bulk material are being loaded. Likewise, the sections 56 and 57 may have the outer edges so formed that the completed grain car door 55 is vadaptable for more than one width of car door. The car door, when -fabricated in this manner, may be erected to the vdoor jambs .by random nailing with either single or double-headed nails as desired. The inner contiguous edges ofthe separable sheets 56 and 57 are also formed in the same manner as described with reference to the contiguous edges of the carloading retaining strips, yas .illustrated in Figs. 1, 8 and 9. In the embodiment illustrated -in Figs. l and l1, the reinforced edges are wrapped and overlapped as described with reference to Fig. 8. Therefore, like or similar reference characters will describe the joint construction of Figs. 10 and ll with that of Fig. 8, and a similar type of latch 24 may be used.

In the erection of a grain door of Ithis type, it is usual rst to erect a cross-tie 58 across the bottom of the doorway and abutting the oor 59 of the car. A strip 60' is also erected at the top of the grain car door and similarly secured to the door jambs 16 and 17 as the bottom strip 58. The strip 58 serves as a pry-board in opening the car door, and the upper strip serves as a reinforcement for the personnel in getting out of the car after it has been coopered.

It is preferred yto latch the contiguous abutting inner ends of the strips y56 and 57, as illustrated in Figs. 10 and 1l, and this may be done at .the factory or on the job, whichever is desired. A center A'r'eir'iforci'ng member 61 may be preferably a two inch by two and one-half inch hardwood upright, preferably extending from the lloor of the car, and if necessary a cleat, not shown, may be abutted against the lower corner and aix'ed to the floor, and reinforcing member 61 may be conveniently fabricated from railway -tie stock, although it is within the scope of the invention that they may be fabricated from 'two one inch by three yinch strips 62. and 63 .suitably secured together, as illustrated in Figs. ll and l2, when it is impossible to secure the hardwood upright :61 as illustrated in Fig. 13. To affix the uprights, as

villustrated inthe modifications of Figs. ll), 11, l2, and

13 to the abutting inner ends of the strips 56 and 57, 'spacers 64 are placed between the front face 52 of the abutting strips to provide a clearance for the center latching means 24 and bottom latching means 2.4 as illustrated in Figs. l0 and 12. To aiix the assembled structure together, as illustrated in Fig. 10, banding 'or strap iron 65 is assembled through the uprights 61 or 61' and through the spacers 64 and the reinforcing strips 27 .and the Vcontiguous edge wrapping of 'the sheets 56 and 57. The banding iron straps 65 are then vproperly tensioned and sealed with 'seals 66 as is customary with the usual strapping tools and sealing tools. The cross ties or strap iron members 67 and 68 are assembled iu 'place and extend through the strips` 27, as illustrated in Fig. ll, and through inclined holes 69 in the upright members 61 or 61 as illustrated in Figs. 1'2 and 13. These cross-ties 67 and '68 are affixed to the doubleheaded securing means 70 in accordance with the disclosure of the aforementioned co-pending applications with the exception that on account of the separable porftions 56 and 57 of the grain car door construction with the contiguous edgesr of these port-ions assembled as in Fig. l1, it is necessary to incline the strips `67 and 68, as shown. However, in the structure as shown iii l5 wherein the contiguous edges of the door portions 56 and 57 are .arranged in overlapped ,relationship suit'- ably aiiiired .by nailing together, as illustrated, the retaining strips and 68 may extend through the center of the upright 61. When assembled in this manner., it is not necessary to use the latch means 2,4', as illustrated in Figs. l2 and 13. The ends 4of the stripsv67 and 68 are provided withat least three holes and these permit adjustment of the harness structure formed by the members 67 and .68 to different widths of railway cars. The harness members 67 and 68 are not erected so that they are taut but with a predetermined slack therein, so that as the c ar is loaded with the bulk material, the slack ,is taken 11p and the portions 56 `and -57 are permitted to have a slight bulge with the center structure acting asl an intermediate reinforcing column to prevent further additional movement of the .grain door at the center than is permitted by the ,slack in the members 67 and 68. The vertical support A6l. or 61 should have suicient strength and .a cross section of .a suitable moment lof inertia to prevent .undue bowing of the uprightpwith loadings of bulk material from eighty thousand to over one hundred and twenty thousand pounds, depending upon whether an effective height of lsix feet or eight feet is used for ,the grain door construction. The flap 56a of each section 56. and 57 is suitably :nailed .to the lloor, or a nailing strip 5611 formed with a plywood strip may `be used .to seal vthe bottom 'edge ofthe -grain ycar door structure 55 to prevent any leakage andto retanthe door in position.

With paper or reinforced gra-in car doors, it has been customary ,the vvpast to cut an opening at the bottom of the door by Vslitting the reinforced sheet material rto permit removal of the grain or other bulk material. Thisvhas caused the previous doors ,to be of no further use and consequently they were considered as disposable, and -it was impossible to salvage anything of value. With the present vconstruct-ion, the retaining strips or ,grain car doors may have some salvage value, if they have not become pierced in any manner beyond repair, and the latches 24 are reusable ,as wellas lthe uprights. Since these represent ka large item of expense, any salvage will be beneficial. In Asome instances, it is even possible to salvage the cross-ties ,67 and 68. Usually, however, .in dismantling 'a disposable ydoor of this nature, a sharp hatchet is used b y the employee [doing the unloading to cut.the strap members 67 and 68 zas well as` the vmember 65. VIn order'toprovide an opening at the bottom of the grain door, applicant hasformed a Asimple portion construction, as best illustrated in Figs. vl0 and 14. A port 71 may be fabricated by cutting along the diagonal lines 72 and 7,3 so that four triangular flaps 74 are formed. These triangular `flaps .may be rolled upon strips '75 to forma frame vfor each edge of the port. This rolling may be substantially vthe same as that described with reference .to fabricating the contiguous inner edges of the retaining strip portionsor door portions about the reinforcing stripy 27 as described .with reference to Figs. 1, -4 Vand 8. Should the wrapping take up too 'much space, lif desired, the triangular portions 7.4 kmay becut off along .the lines 76Y to 4form the trapezoidal portion 77 which may then be wrapped, as described above, about the reinforcing strip .75. l n

.A cover 78may also .beformed in a somewhatsimilar manner Vas `the port 71. A larger vsheet of similarmaterial tothat of the sheet material vforming the 'grain :car door isfcut to a preferred size, and the. corners cut'inwardly to provide .trapezoida1-shapedstrips .79-.wh'ich'in turn are wrapped over vreinforcing strips vin ,the same mann'eras .that described with the reinforcing strips 75 :for .the port 71. The frame as .thus formed for theport `and :cover 11 Y may have the wrapped portions securely stapled by staples 81 or other forms of securing means. In order to detachably secure the frame of the cover to the frame of the port, oppositely spaced holes 82 are provided on each edge of the port and on each edge of the frame as lllustrated in Figs. and 14. Latching means 24 similar to those as described with reference to Figs. 4 and 5 are assembled in position through the corresponding complemental edges of the frames for the port 71 and cover 78. When it is desired to detach the cover, the latches 24 may be detached as described above to permit the bulk material to discharge through the port 71, or it is possible to place the inlet opening of a pneumatic system through the opening 71 as the opening is of such a size as to accommodate the conventional inlet pipe of a pneumatic system. It is also within the scope of the invention that, if necessary, the cover may be pierced with the inlet opening of a pneumatic system, the cover 78 being then replaced if it is possible to salvage the remainder of the door 56.

The construction of the port frame and cover therefor is such as to provide suicient reinforcement at the opening and to electively seal the opening. With the construction of the port and cover, as illustrated in Figs. 10 and 14, it is possible either to complete the construction on the job or to provide the portion 56 with the prefabricated opening and closure complete. However, as it is preferable to roll the portions of the grain car door to provide a compact assembly for shipment, it is preferred to assemble the fabricated opening as the door is erected in which case the lines where the opening is to be formed may be stencilled in place, and the parts for the frame members enclosed in the bundle as well as the sheet to form the closure 78. Although the latch members 24 have been disclosed for securing the closure in place, it is possible to use short lengths of soft wire which may be inserted in place and axed by twisting. The use of short iron wires may also be employed in -place of the latching means 24 in the construction of Figs. l, 4, 8 and 10, if desirable, or if the latch means are not available without departing from the scope of this invention.

In addition to the preferred form of latching means, as described with reference to the construction of Figs. 1 through 14, other modifications thereof are illustrated in Figs. 16 through 20. Since the separable portions 2S and 26 of the retaining strip structure 23 as disclosed with reference to Fig. l are Ithe same, like reference characters will indicate the same or similar parts. The modified retaining strips are erected in the same manner, the only difference being in the construction of the latching means. In the embodiment 85 of Fig. 16, slotted holes 86 are formed in each of the reinforcing strips of the wrapped contiguous edges which receive a strap 87 having a conventional buckle construction 88. The straps are inserted through the 'slots and buckled in a conventional manner forming a suitable latching means for restraining the separation of the strip portions at the joint.

The embodiment 90 of Fig. 17 illustrates the use of a ring 91 inserted through holes 32 in the reinforced edges of the retaining strips and, after they are inserted, the open ends of Ithe rings 90 are closed together with a suitable tool. This construction is similar to a hog ring. The ring should be formed of wire of sufficient gage and carbon content -to permit the rings to be opened and closed.

In the embodiment 93 of Fig. 18, the retaining strip portions 25a and 26a |are modified from that of the construction of Figs. 1 and 2 in that the contiguous inner edges of the strip portions are overlapped over a vertically extending rod 94 shaped as illustrated in Fig. 18, and the folded over edge of the strip portions is aiiixed by staples 95 or other suitable securing means. The extended ends of the rods 94 are affixed together by rings 96, which are preferably welded rather than being open 12 as the rings 91 of the embodiment of Fig. 17. The hooked ends of the rods 94 prevent the rings from becoming disengaged when the retaining strip 93 is aixed in place across the car doorway.

In the embodiment 98 of Fig. 19, the retaining strip portions 25 and 26 are illustrated as being affixed together by a chain construction 99. One end of the chain 99 is laixed to a ring 100, which is aflixed by a staple 101 to the reinforced edge of the retaining strip portion of a construction similar to the described in Figs. l and 4. The chain is threaded through opposite aligned holes 32 and then back through the ring 100 with suitable tension and then the overlapped portions of the chain are aixed together by a cotter key 102 or the like securing means.

In the embodiment 103 of Fig. 20, the sheets 25" and 26" are overlapped at the joint between the contiguous inner ends as described with reference to Fig. 9. However, instead of the latching means 54, there has been provided a hairpin construction 104 which extends across the overlapped reinforced edges to aiX the strip portions together in the same manner as the latching means 51; but, however, there is no need to provide drilled holes through the strips, thus making a simple construction in the erection of the strips in a car doorway.

From the above disclosure it is evident that there has been `disclosed `a simple form of retaining strip for a car doorway not required the conventional reinforcing steel strapping as of the prior art, but yet has substantially the same strength across a car doorway in retaining packaged carload shipments because of the improved form of reinforced kraft paper construction, having an intermediate layer of high strength glass fiber scrim sheets. The scrim sheets can be made in any conventional weave in which the horizontally 'and longitudinally extending strands of glass ber may be spaced in 'any conventional spacing, and in which the strands may be formed of any -number of ber ends in the manner well known in the art. Although one hundred and seventy pound sheet was disclosed as being preferred, it is also within the scope of the invention that sheets of one hundred and twenty pound weight, two by two fiber or one hundred and sixty pound weight, two by two glass fiber strands may be used with the spacing preferably of the fiber strands being substantially one-half inch in either direction. It is also possible to use combinations of sheets other than described with reference to Figs. 6 and 7, wherein one sheet may be formed from kraft paper to which is laminated a scrim sheet and the opposite surface being a cellophane sheet. Also, any combinations from one or more sheets may be arranged to produce the required strength, depending upon the load, and this use of multiple sheets is equally permissible not only with the retaining strip construction as described with reference to Fig. l, but is equally adaptable for the separable strip portions 56 and 57 of a grain car door construction 55 when it is desired to use multiple sheets rather than a `single ysheet for bulk carloadings in which the Weight is over eighty thousand pounds. and the widths of the grain car door and the heights thereof are greater than six feet.

There has also been disclosed a preferred form of latching means in the form of a detachable latch, which may either be erected on the job or in the factory as the retaining strips are fabricated. The latching means is preferably arranged as illustrated in Figs. 1, 8 and 10 so that in opening the car door 13, the movement of the car door does not tend to unlatch the latches.

There has also been disclosed a simple form of open and overlapped joint constructions for the retaining strip constructions and also for the overlapped constructions of the sealed joint between the portions of the grain car Y door.

Also, a simple form of port and closure has been provided in a grain car door construction to facilitate the` unloading of bulk material without causing excessive damage to the car door construction so that while the constructions are primarily for a disposable form of grain car door or bulk car `door construction, itis possible to salvage the construction-s for reuse unless the elements of the construction are greatly damaged.

In addition to Ithe preferred form of latching means, other simple forms of securing retaining strips of the construction disclosed may be used without departing from the scope of the invention.

The retaining strip constructions and the grain car or bulk car loading doors are economical, `simple to fabricate and to erect with conventional tools used in coopering a car, and are competitive with conventional type of retaining strips or grain car door constructions.

Having -thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same Without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned.

What I y'claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a retaining strip structure for railway cars and the like having doorways of relatively uniform transverse dimensions but in which the space between `door post structures may vary in different cars, the combination of a retaining strip of relatively ilexible sheet material, said retaining strip adapted to extend across a respective doorway and to be operatively secured at its opposite side edges to said door post structure, said retaining strip bcing separable intermediate the door post structure, a pair of relatively rigid strips about which the separable side edge portions of the retaining strip are wrapped, vertically spaced and oppositely arranged openings in the wrapped rigid strips, -means for securing said separable wrapped edges to said rigid strips, securing means for detachably aixing the wrapped separable edges of the retaining strip together, said securing means comprising a detachable latch with the ends thereof adapted to extend through the oppositely arranged openings in the aforesaid Wrapped rigid strips, and complementally formed means on the ends o-f said detachable latch for detachably aixing the ends of the detachable latch together.

2. The combination with a doorway for railway cars and the like having relatively uniform transverse dimensions but in which the space between door post structures may vary in different cars, of a retaining strip comprising ysectional portions, each of said sectional portions formed from relatively exible sheet material, said retaining strip adapted to extend across a respective doorway and Operatively secured at its opposite side edges to said door post structure, said sectional portions being separable intermediate the door post structure, and each of said sectional portions having the opposite edges thereof substantially rigid, said edges adapted for being aixed to the door post Structures with the inner contiguous edges of the sectional portions adapted to be affixed together to complete the retaining strip, said inner contiguous edges of the sectional portions provided with vertically spaced and oppositely arranged openings, and securing means for ydetachably axing the inner contiguous edges of the sectional portions of the retaining strip together comprising a detachable latch with the ends thereof adapted to extend through the oppositely arranged openings in 4the aforesaid sectional portions, and complementally formed means on the ends of said detachable latch for detachably afhxing the ends of the detachable latch together.

3. In a retaining strip structure for railway cars and the Ilike according to claim l, wherein said detachable latch comprises a portion intermediate the ends thereof substantially V-shaped with the apex intermediate the ends of the detachable latch, whereby the contiguous edges of the retaining strip being separable intermediate the door post structure into sectional portions are canted to substantially the `angle between the legs of the V-shaped portion and the angle of the outer ends of the securing means, whereby the joint between the contiguous edges of the sectional portions of the retaining strip are reinforced.

4. In a retaining strip structure for railway cars and the like according to claim 1, wherein another pair of relatively rigid strips for the opposite side edges of the retaining strip adapted to be operatively secured to said door post structure and about |which the aforesaid opposite side edges are wrapped providing means for adjusting the retaining strip to the space between the door post structures as the space varies in diierent cars.

5. In a retaining strip structure for railway cars and the like according to claim 1, comprising an additional retaining strip of relatively exible sheet material adapted to extend across a respective opposite doorway and to be operatively secured at its side edges to said doorpost structure for said opposite doorway.

6. In a retaining strip structure for railway cars and the like according to claim 1, wherein said retaining strip comprises a plurality of tiers of retaining strips separable intermediate the doorpost structure, each retaining strip of its respective tier adapted to extend across a respective doorway and to be operatively secured at its opposite side edges to said doorpost structure, and the separable wrapped edges of each retaining strip adapted to be detachably aixed by the aforesaid securing means for detachably atxing the wrapped separable edges of the retaining strip together.

7. In a retaining strip structure for railway cars and the like according to claim 1, wherein said seeming means comprises a plurality of said detachable latches, and each of said detachable latches extending through the vertically spaced and oppositely arranged openings in the wrapped rigid strips with the ends of the respective detachable latches aixed together for detachably alixing the wrapped separable edges of the retaining strips together to complete the retaining strip as it extends between the door post structure of the doorway.

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